Burning Branches
by Firefrost and Flamepelt
Summary: A dark time has come over the four Clans in an other forest. I suck at summeraries, inside for info. ON HIATUS for lack of inspiration. I will let others use the story if they so desire. PM me to work out the details R
1. Prolouge

***Author's note: Hey, everybody. This is my first non-songfic fanfic, so please enjoy. R&R! **

**Post script: I may co-author with Mossfire404, keep you updated. : )! **

The full moon shined brightly upon the forest surrounded river. Many cats, eyes gleaming, were gathered around the gleaming water, apprehension clear in their bristling pelts. Finally, a cold wind gusted around them, and the stars came out of the sky, swirling like a tornado. Eventually, a shape took form. It was a reddish-brown she-cat, with gleaming blue eyes. Her pelt shined like all the stars in the sky.

A tom stepped foreword, head bowed in greeting. "Brightspirit," he murmured, his husky voice breaking the silence. He started again. "Brightspirit," he meowed, "your presence honors us." Brightspirit stepped foreword, padding slowly toward the tom. "Enough with formalities, Redhare." She gently meowed, "I have something more urgent to share with you. There are dark times ahead for your Clans."

Shocked gasps rippled through the crowd, and there were one or two frightened wailings. Brightspirit nodded, as though taking this in, and thinking how to break the news. She took a deep breath, and continued. "There are dark times ahead for your Clans. I have seen this in a dream." "What is your dream, then?" Redhare's pelt was bristling around the neck, as if he was ready to take on an invisible cleared her throat, then began. "_There will be a time, soon, when all the branches in the forest will burn. These branches will fall, and endanger the Clans. Without hearts being scared, your Clans are hopeless. But if the hearts of good cats will it, there will be peace."_

Redhare nodded slowly, taking in the words. "So, our Clans are to die?"Brightspirit shook her head. "No. They will be saved. The scarred heart will save them." Redhare blinked in surprise. "Then, who or what is the Scarred Heart?", he meowed quietly. Brightspirit flicked her tail at Redhare. "You cannot expect me to tell you. You must find this on your own. You, as UniverseClan, can only guide them from here. As for I, I must take my leave. There are other Clans than you that need saving."

Stars, again, whirled from the sky, taking Brightspirit back to her Clan. Redhare sighed, and turned back to UniverseClan. His lone yowl echoed out over the river. "You heard Brightspirit! We must find this scarred heart for ourselves! We are… alone here."

**(Sorry for the shortness, but I can't continue the prologue. Nothing more to say. By the way, I do not own warriors. I plan on making this about 21 chapters or so long, so expect 30 chapters. Cheers!)**


	2. Morning

_The forest was as black as _night. The wind was whistling through the tree tops, making them wave slightly. A black tom was crouched at the top of the tallest tree, slowly surveying the whistling trees for signs of prey. Suddenly, a flash of white! The lithe hunter quickly judged the distance, and, seeing that it was manageable, leaped many tail lengths above the forest floor. Midair, the hunter's tail bristled in anticipation of the catch.

A mouse length from his prey, the bird noticed, and took flight, but it was a moment too late. The dark warrior sunk his claws into the white prey, and delivered a swift bite to the neck, and killed it. The feline caught his balance, and crouched down on the thick branch to devour his catch. The tabby cat was about to sink his teeth into the still-warm dove, but he felt a sharp jab to his side. Taken by surprise, the hunter jumped, and lost his balance. His claws were out in an instant, scrabbling the tree's bark, but it was too late. The hunter, green eyes wide, was falling, falling…..

He felt another poke, harder this time, and faintly heard a voice, calling, "Scarheart! Scarheart, you lazy furball, it's time for dawn patrol! Get up!" Groaning faintly, Scarheart opened his eyes. He was back in the warrior's den. The sky outside was black, with a faint hint of purple and pink at the horizon. Bright blue eyes gleamed at him from the dark. A paw poked him again. "Scarheart! Come on!" Blinking wearily, he sat up, stretching luxuriously. A white tabby was sitting in front of him, tail waving impatiently. She meowed again, "So, the great warrior's finally up, eh? Tired after your vigil, still?" Scarheart's vigil was only two days before, after his warrior ceremony.

Scarheart let out a faint _mrrow _of amusement. "Oh, the great warrior was only just feeding his Clan. I had the bird, too, until _you _woke me, Pebblefoot!" Pebblefoot blinked warmly at him.

"Oh, really? So that's why you were kicking and thrashing all night." Pebblefoot's tail was curled up in amusement. "Well, sorry to say it to you, but the great hunter's got to mark the borders." Her blue eyes darkened. "We're marking the AirClan border strongly today. You know how they've been prey-stealing again." Scarheart felt strangely disappointed at the sudden change of subject, and tried to avoid that topic.

"Yeah, well, we'll do that. Do you think that the climb down will be as bad as yesterday?" he meowed. This greenleaf has been a dry one, so far, and the bark was peeling from the trees from lack of moisture. "No," Pebblefoot replied, "I don't think so. There was a light rain last night, so that should help." Scarheart didn't believe it. The rain would most likely just be soaked up by the grass and undergrowth beneath the great trees.

Scarheart gave a non-committal grunt. A voice carried over from the next tree. "Hey, Pebblefoot, Scarheart, are you coming, or were you thinking you could just nap today?" Pebblefoot rolled her eyes. "Branchtail's already acting like leader. Well, we'd better go, or else he'll claw our pelts off." Scarheart flicked Pebblefoot's shoulder with his tail, in agreement. "Yes, he's not leader yet, but he will be." he reminded the lithe she-cat, "We'd better suck up to him, for when he becomes leader." Pebblefoot nodded her agreement. Branchtail's annoyed voice carried over again. "Well, are you coming?" Pebblefoot sighed. "Well, we'd better go." Louder, she added, "We're coming, Branchtail!"

Scarheart prepared himself for the climb down. Most cats didn't get the secret of climbing trees. Sure, they knew how to climb up trees, but then they tried to climb down head first! Scarheart hooked his front claws into the soft bark next to the warrior's den. _Please, let it hold my weight! _Tense, and ready to stick his feet out to get the bark again if he fell, Scarheart swung down, putting all his weight onto the soft bark. The bark sagged, but held his weight. _Thank StarClan! _

Scarheart inched his way down, the bark sagging under his weight the entire way. He only felt slightly comforted by the presence of Pebblefoot next to him. _If I fall, that'll be the end of me! I'm too young to join StarClan! _Finally, after what seemed moons of climbing, Scarheart felt his pads finally touch ground. He let out a purr of satisfaction, knowing that he had made it down in one piece. He could never bare climbing down the trees easily, not after falling out of the nursery when he was a kit. Luckily, there was a thick branch below the nursery, and he just landed on that. Still…

Scarheart heard a _thump _right next to him, and turned his head to see Pebblefoot shaking bark off her pelt. "Mouse dung!" Scarheart curled up his tail in amusement. "Oh, so I see that the great hunter can't climb down a tree!" The black tabby's eyes were narrowed warmly at her. "I'd think that you could do better than that!" Pebblefoot's reply was sharp. "The bark under my claws was loose! It's not my fault!" Scarheart blinked warmly at her. "You know I was just kidding, Pebblefoot!"

Pebblefoot stared crossly at him a moment longer, then rolled her eyes. "You can never tell with you, you crazy furball." she meowed. "You're not one to talk. I didn't fall out of my nest as a kit. Well, we'd better go. Don't want to get left behind on the dawn patrol, do we?" Scarheart let out an amused purr. "Okay, we'd better go." Scarheart and Pebblefoot padded lightly off to meet with the other cats.

"Well, look who finally decided to join us. Did you have fun?" Branchtail's jarring deep mew sounded from the middle of the circle. "Hello to you, too, Branchtail." Pebblefoot's soft mew contrasted sharply to Branchtail's. "So, are you ready to go?" She asked. "Of course I am. I have to be, I'm leading it!" Branchtail retorted sharply. "You'd know that if you spent more time in the main tree, instead of all by yourself. Go find yourself a mate, or something." Pebblefoot flinched, suprised by the outburst. Then she turned cold. "Well, why don't **you**? Now, are you leading, or not?" Now it was Branchtail's turn to flinch. He was obviously using the scentance to get an opening for a pickup line.

"Okay, let's go." The rest of the patrol was eventless. Just the usual silence. It seemed like ages before they got back to the tree. Scarheart looked at the climb up, and shuddered. "Alright, let's get this over with." He nudged Pebblefoot to the tree. "You first. Race you up!" Pebblefoot immediately began racing up the tree as fast as her little claws could take her, with Scarheart close behind. Scarheart looked at the top of the tree. Ten feet... five feet... I beat her!


	3. Scarred Memories

Scarheart looked around at the stream, wary. What was this place? Where am I? Quickly, hereflected on how he had got there. "I bet you can't beat me to the home tree!" Pebblefoot...  
she always got the best of him. He could never resist a challange. So, he took her up on theoffer. He darted off, quick as a bird, toward hometree. Or so he thought. He lost track of Pebblefootlong ago, but he thought that he just outran her... apparently not. It may have been that turn at Two Oak... no that was right. Maybe at Lightning tree. That seemed likely. Now he was at his place of kithood memories... he could never escape that. No matter how he tried. The memories began to engulf him...

He was at the same stream with his littermates. Tall trees shadowed the ground, giving refuge from the unusally hot Greenleaf. Scarheart's mother, Quietfeet, looked on with amusement, as Scarheart, then Scarkit,  
emulated something like a hunter's crouch, getting ready to pounce on Greenkit. Scarkit gathered all his energy into his haunches, and... a shadow fell across Greenkit. Scarkit looked up. An owl was swooping in for a catch. Scarkit immediately lunged for the owl. Two tailengths... one tailength... one mouselength... and I'm falling! Why am I falling? Desperately, Scarheart flung out a tiny paw to latch onto the owl, but only suceeded in scratching it. Scarkit quickly plummited to the ground, landing in a soft patch of moss. Scarkit yowled out a warning to Greenkit, but it was too late.  
Scarheart could still her screams, "Help me! Help me, someone! Help me!" The clan found her body, bruised and broken, next to the body of a dead owl, who had died because of a long, gaping wound on the wing. The clan buried the poor kit immediately, and left the owl to rot.

It was a moon later. Scarkit was just now becoming an apprencice, due to a particularly bad case of greencough. Treestar gave out a great yowl. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey come foreward!" All the cats of the clan all leapt from their trees, landing on the Great Oak den. Treestar waited untill all of the cats were present. The elders already lived at the Great Oak, and so the last ones to arrive were the queens and kits. When the last kit arrived, Treestar began. "It is time to preform" the elder leader began, "one of the many pleasing tasks for a leader. Scarkit, please come foreward. Scarkit could hardly keep himself from bouncing up there, like a newborn kit. But instead, he forced himself to walk with dignity, tripping only once, and he quickly recovered himself. Treestar let out a rusty purr at this, and continued; "This kit has become six moons old, and it is time for him to join the apprentices, in order to better serve the clan. He has perservered hard times, illness, and the loss of his sister to make it to this day. Let Scarkit furthur enhance his abilities, in order to serve his Clan.  
"Firefrost, you have been without a apprentice for quite some time. Please pass on your patience, and wisedom to this young member of our Clan. Scarkit, from this moment on, you will be known as Scarpaw." Scarpaw padded up to his mentor,  
exitement in his eyes, and let Firefrost rest her head on Scarpaw's. Scarpaw then respectfully licked Firefrost's shoulder. "Scarpaw, Scarpaw, Scarpaw, Scarpaw" came the resounding cry of his overjoyed Clanmates. Scarpaw scampered up to his new mentor. "Can you go show me the boarders? Can you? Can you?" Scarpaw was practiclly vibrating with exitement. Firefrost looked at the sky, and seeing that it was only sunhigh, assented. The pair scrabbled down the tree, and ventured into the forest. "All right, I'll show you the DarkClan border today." Scarheart's mentor looked down kindly at him. "Do you know how you can tell the difference between EarthClan and DarkClan scent?" Scarpaw shook his head vigorously. "No? All right then, I'll show you." The duo trotted up to a large stump in the forest, with one branch still attached. "See this? This is the DarkClan border. You cannot pass it, or they will chase you off, and will problebly injure you in the process. Also, it will come as a great embarissment to the entire Clan. You will be punished, and punished severely. You must learn this, or you will never make it as a warrior, or even a Clanmate. Do you understand?"  
Scarpaw nodded. "Good. Now, can you scent them?" Scarpaw opened his mouth slightly,and tasted the air. "Yes, Firefrost." "Now what does it smell like?" Scarpaw grimiced. "It smells like crow-food!" Firefrost chuckled.  
"Yes, of course it does! What do you think they eat? It matches their souls!" Scarpaw looked up innocently. " Really?" "No, not really." It began to rain. "Let's get back to camp before we get too wet." Scarpaw didn't argue. "Try and keep up"  
Firefrost took off like a dash. Scarheart had a hard time keeping up. Firefrost jumped neatly over logs, while Scarpaw scrabbled over them. Past Two Oak they went, taking a left, and they pushed though brackens, with the smell of Leaf-fall on the air. Suddenly they came up to a fork in the path. As Firefrost took off right past it, light filled the sky. There was a large boom, and a pained shreik.  
That's all that Scarheart could remember. Scarpaw came up to his mentor's body,and nudged it. "Firfrost?  
Firefrost, wake up! Firefrost?"

Back to reality. Scarheart shook himself, as if to rid himself of the memories. It suddenly felt cold,  
even though it was the middle of a dry Greenleaf. Too many memories... but I can't livein the past. I have to remember the present, what I have here. I have a full belly, no fear, Treestar, Quietstep, and...  
Pebblefoot. I don't get what I like about her. She's pretty average looking, and a good hunter, but that's it.  
And she's funny, she is fun to be with, she- speaking of she, here she comes. "Scarheart, I was wondering where you were. Where were..." Her eyes filled with fear, obviously reliving her own memories. Scarheart padded up to her, and rested his muzzle on hers. They stayed like that for a long while.


	4. Infidels

***Author's Note: Sorry for the slow updates, those few who actually **_**read**_** this story, but a double whammy of slow computer and school prevents it. And also, please R&R some more, it really helps me start going. **_**Yes, that means you!**_*****

Scarheart woke up to find himself at a stream. _How'd I get here? _Then he remembered the events of the night before. After Pebblefoot had found him, it was well after sundown, so they decided to stay there for the night. They had already eaten fresh-kill, and

had already hunted for the Clan, so they _were_ free for the night. Nobody would miss them, and it was too far to get to their Den Tree, anyways. So, they stayed there, comforted by the other's presence. Scarheart looked up. It was almost noonhigh, and they would be missed soon. Scarheart looked around. They were surrounded by trees and undergrouth, all completely lit up from the noon sun. _Noon? We havn't been gone _that _long!_

Scarheart shook himself, as if to ward away the thoughts. _Oh, well, better wake Pebblefoot. _Scarheart looked around. Where was she? He opened his mouth and tasted the air. Hasn't been gone too long. Scarheart started tracking her. _Passed twotrees, stayed for a while at rockpath. And then she... wait! That's her, but with... someone else? _The other scent with hers was more faded. She was tracking someone. Scarheart sniffed the air again. _No one I know. _Scarheart started following the trail. The scent was cat, definately, but sour, in a way. Smelling of crowfood, and sickness. Not recent, though. Smelled of carrion-desease, or the monkey sickness. The monkey sickness spread easily, and you could only get it from prey, another cat, or a monkey bite. It started innocently enough... the infected felt fine with no simptoms for the first 4-6 days. Then, the poor cat started sneezing, just once or twice to start out with, then started doing it six or seven times. Soon afterwords, they grow weak, and start coughing violently, so violently that you could break ribs or tear muscles from the cough. You would take to your nest, then, and well away from any cats. You started to run a fever, possibly with delirium, and wouldn't take any food or water. Many died at that. They were lucky. Some few cats started to recover, slowly. Nine or ten moons before you could walk again. If you didn't recover, you would start to bleed. Out of the eyes, nose, mouth, or just through the pores in your skin. Scarheart shuddered. Better be careful, then. Scarheart trotted off, still tracking the scent, when he heard a noise behind him. A gruff voice. "This is our territory,now. _Get out"_

Scarheart turned around warily_. "_When was this your territory?Were we conqured , and I was never told? Why wasn't I informed?" Scarheart immediately realized that sarcasm was a _baad_ idea. To say the least. He was surrounded by ten, well muscled, angery cats. All of them black, too. Huh, racial group. The biggest one of them sneered at Scarheart. "So you think you can take us on? I'd like to see you try." Scarheart shuddered, but tried not to show it. Starclan knows what they would do if Scarheart got them cocky. No, scratch that. Not even _Starclan _knows what would happen. Scarheart tried to look undaunted. "Now look, we don't want any trouble, so-" A smaller cat sneered and interrupted him. "Don't want trouble? _Don't want trouble? _Let's not _trouble _him any longer." He glanced at the first cat. "Biv, surround him. We're not letting him home." Biv smiled, which looked painful, and if you asked Biv, it _was _painful. He hadn't used those muscles in so long, it was almost rusty. The black cats formed a line on either side of him. "So, you're not letting me through? I know cats that could take you on singlepawed." Scarheart knew that it was a lame last attempt at peace, but he had to try it. "Oh, yeah?" Biv sneered. "Well, none of them are here now, are they? But we'll let you through. A knee first. Then a leg, and maybe an ear." The rest of the cats, as if on signal, started laughing at this. Scarheart took the chance and darted away, not even looking back to see if they were persueing him. He knew they were by their loud paw-steps close behind him.

Cat-calling sounded behind him. **(How ironic. -Author)** "Come on, Clan kitty! Fight!" and "Oh, come on! We're barely jogging!" Those were the most common. Scarheart risked a glance behind him, but never slowed down his lightining fast stride. They were right! It looked as if they wern't even jogging! Just trotting along, playing with him. Scarheart risked another glance, and it told him that it was just an illusion. They may have looked as if they were trotting, but they had to move thier legs twice as fast in order to keep up. Scarheart also noticed they were tripping over small roots that he knew so well, he didn't even noticed he was avoiding him. They didn't know the territory well. Scarheart decided to take advantage of this fact, and took a left at the small creek, near Jagged Tree. It was a sharp left, so it took them by surpise. Scarheart took no little pride in hearing at least two of the cats running into the cold stream. Scarheart was running out of breath, though. _'I can't keep this up much longer. I have to find a patrol, and quick!'_ Scarheart took note of his surroundings. _Let's see... it's noonhigh, so there should be a border patrol near the AirClan border. I can ask them to help._

Scarheart dashed off into the trees, toward the AirClan border. The brown-and-black tabby was like lightning racing through the trees. He darted left and right, hoping that he had an advantage from knowing the land so well. The cats behind him, though furious and in much better shape than him, couldn't keep up, because they were tripping over roots and runing into low shrubs. Scarheart scented the air around him. Overwhelming rouge, obviously, and some prey-scent, and... strong TreeClan scent! He had just missed thier patrol, and didn't miss it by much, it smelt like. Scarheart, with renewed vigor, took off through the forest, untill he could see fuzzy cat shapes far ahead of him. Scarheart knew he had to make it, but even with the burst of adreneline, he could feel that he was tiring out. At least he could count on the same happening for the intruders.

As soon as he got close enough, Scarheart took the first breath he could spare, and called out, "A little help, here?" The patrol, made up of Mudpelt,Darknose, Dapplepaw, and Berrypaw, looked behind them, fear in their eyes. "Of course we'll help!" Mudpelt lead the patrol in charging to the black cats. Scarheart, now with backup, whirled around and started fighting the first cat he saw. It was Biv. _Just my luck! _Scarheart let out a roar of fury, and leapt at Biv. The large black cat anticipated it, and dodged to one side, then pelted toward Scarheart, flashing one paw out at him. Scarheart ducked, dashed under the brute's belly, and hooked his claws on Biv's tendons. Biv immediately collapsed, but Scarheart was too fast, and got out from under him. Scarheart then leapt onto Biv, aiming to scratch the eyes. Biv tried to shake him off, but Scarheart wouldn't let go. Scarheart could feel Biv weakening, and within moments, Biv collapsed and Scarheart hopped off of him. Biv, seeing the chance, pelted away, deeper into the forest.

Scarheart looked around, and saw that Mudpelt was taking on two cats at the same time, so Scarheart decided to relieve Mudfur of one of them. Mudpelt was doing well, alternately dashing in and out of the cat's way, flashing paws every time, so that while he only got scratched, both of the black cats got hit hard, and frequently. Scarheart dashed towards him, and surprised the smaller one with a quick scratch to the face, scratching an eye. The smaller cat wailed in pain, and ran off, exclaiming 'I can't see! I can't see! Oh, Tribe, why can't I see?' Scarpaw was about to point out that it _may_ have been because of the claw in the eyes, but before he could do that, he felt claws digging into his back. Instinctivly, Scarheart dropped to a crouch, and the cat was thrown off. Scarheart, taking the chance, delivered a nip to the neck, not enough to kill, but to get the message acoss that if needed, he _could_.

The larger black cat took the chance, and pelted away. One cat was left, the small loudmouth, with icey blue eyes. The tabby cat backed away slowly, seeing he was outnumbered. Before turning around and running off, he took the time to spit out a few words.

_You may have defeated us this time, but no one defeats ShatterClan so easily!_


	5. The Meeting

Scarheart looked around at the other cats, who's eyes were as big as moons with shock. He could hear the whispers going around the group. He could even hear snatches of the talk; _... Birchstar do? Can he handle... _and_ Rouges? In our territory? That hasn't happened since..._ Scarheart looked at Mudpelt, who lead the patrol that helped him defeat ShatterClan. His blue eyes was hard to read, but that was normal. He never let emotion show on his face. He was still a friendly cat, though. Scarheart padded over to him. "Mudpelt?" Mudpelt glanced over at Scarheart, finished talking to Branchtail, and padded over to meet Scarheart. "Yes, Scarheart?" "I've been hearing rumors flying around camp that ShatterClan is BloodClan come back for revenge. Who's BloodClan?" Mudpelt sighed. "It's an old memory, when these Clans were called by a different name, and lived in a different forest, two forests before now. BloodClan wa-" The older warrior was inturrupted by Grasstail. "Where's Pebblefoot? She's been gone since yesterday's dawn patrol!" Birchstar's eyes widened in dismay. The elderly leader sighed. "First ShatterClan, then a missing cat? What's next?" The old cat sighed again, then continued. "When has any cat last saw her?" There were a few answers of "By the freshkill pile, two mornings ago!" Or "When she was leaving for dawn patrol, yesterday." Branchtail meowed "Last I saw her, it was after the dawn patrol, running off with _Scarheart_." The dark tabby shot him a distrustful glance, and so did some other cats. "So it seems to me," he continued, "that Scarheart should know where she is." The stocky cat then shot him an expectant look, almost mocking. Scarheart's pelt grew hot as he realised the _whole clan_ was looking at him the same. "Well?" Birchstar prompted "When _did_ you last see her?"

Scarheart ruffled his fur anxiously. It was embarising being picked out in front of the whole clan in this way. "Well... the last time I saw her was last night. This morning, she was gone, so I tracked her to lightning tree, where I was confronted by the ShatterClan cats. After all the commotion and stuff... I just kinda forgot about her, I guess." Branchtail gave him a unbelieving stare. Scarheart wondered briefly what was ruffling _his_ pelt, but then forgot about it. Birchstar seemed to believe him, and besides, he had more important things to worry about. _ Like finding Pebblefoot!_ he sternly reminded himself. _You have to find Pebblefoot._ Hesitantly, he raised his voice above the others."Couldn't we send out a patrol to look for her?" A stunned silence. The croud hadn't thought that he would speak. They were too busy squabbling among themselves.

Boldened, Scarheart continued. "I mean, back in The Ancient Days, when cats went missing, the Ancient Cats sent out patrols to look for them. So, it seems to me that doing the same can't hurt any." Branchtail sniffed consumptuisouly and turned his back, while Beechstar looked thoughtful. "Well, I supposed he's right. It can't hurt besides, I don't want to take any chances with Pebblefoot." Pebblefoot was Beechstar's own daughter, so Scarheart could undertstand his worry. "Who knows what goes on out there during the night? She might be able to hold her own, but what use is she to us injured? Branchtail, organize the patrol. I need strong cats and good trackers. Scarheart, where did you last see her?" "In the Grove near Jagged Tree. Could I be on the patrol?" The old leader shook his head. "No, you cannot go." Frustration pricked at his pelt. "But why can't I go? I'm strong, I'm a good tracker! There's absolutely no reason-" The brown tabby stopped short when he realised he was blantlently defying his leader in front of the entire Clan. Branchtail glared at him with contempt. Beechstar simply stared at him coldly and said "_That_ is why." Flicking his tail, the white tabby said "Clan dismissed. Exept Scarheart." Branchtail snickered and turned away. Beechstar waited until the clan was well away into the trees before leaping to the next tree and beckoning Scarheart to do the same. The cold moon shone down on the two cats leaping from tree to tree, higher and higher, until they were at the HighTree, on the TreeClan side of Gathering Place. Straight across was the small field of clover that GrassClan sits at. To the left was a patch of pine trees that DarkClan climbed and sat in, trying- sometimes patheticly- to look strong and powerful. Wily and proud, yes, but not strong and powerful. To the right was old rabbit's warren that AirClan shelters in, looking scrawny and lean from chasing rabbits across the moorland. All the Clans used to be called different names, but after being driven from a lake so long ago, they decided that their names no longer applied to them. The three clan's names were forgotten, but GrassClan used to be RiverClan, but aside from a small pond, there was no rivers- whatever that was- through their territory.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" Beechstar's rasping voice startled Scarheart. "I don't quite know. Why?" Beechstar was silent for a moment before continuing. "I brought you here to show you why you must never disobey your leaders. Do you see this patch of land right here? Does it seem like it should be part of TreeClan's territory? Now, think for a moment. What would happen if the leader told you to attack this area, but no one listened. What if GrasssClan attacked, and instead of listening to the leader and fighting, TreeClan ran? What would happen then? Leaders could be overthrown at a drop of a squirrel. NO where in the territories would be safe, with a growing number of ever more unstable Clans, breaking apart and fragmenting because they cannot decide on one thing. Strong leaders are needed to keep the Clans together. Without us, we would be no more than a group of rouges. But if a cat defys the leader, then the leader is comprimised. We cannot disagree, for the sake of the Clans. Do you get why not protesting, or atleast keeping it to yourself, or confiding in me personally is important?" Scarheart nodded. "Good. Now go get some rest. You're going to need to catch up on your sleep if you're going on the rescue patrol." Scarheart started. Of anything, he hadn't expected this. Maybe apprentice chores, but not _this_. "Y-you mean i'm going?" Beechstar gave an impatient snort. "Yes, you're going. Did I say anything different? Now get to your den before I change my mind."

After giving an exited bounce, Scarheart ran off towards his tree-den, right in the middle of the territory. Before climbing up his entry tree, he swung by Branchtail's den. Branchtail sighed when he entered. "Yes?" "Beechstar says I can go on the patrol." Branchtail gave a disbeliving snort. "I don't believe you." "Ask him yourself." As if on que, Beechstar's rusty mew came from the next tree over. "Branchtail, come over here. We need to talk." Branchtail rolled his eyes. "Get out. Now." Scarheart complied, leaping from branch to branch, feeling the wind in his fur, until he arrived at his den. Scarheart settled down, making the nest comfortable. It felt cold in there without Pebblefoot. Scarheart shivered. It was going to be a long night.


End file.
